Jun 26 2013
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWGoA) today celebrated the grand opening of a $40 million Southeast Regional Distribution Center (SERDC) in Roane County, Tenn. The 459,000-plus square-foot facility will be used for distributing domestic auto parts to global markets for the Chattanooga-made Passat.
Addressing the need for increased infrastructure, the Regional Distribution Center facility will begin as a redistribution center to service warehouses and will later expand to include a parts distribution center. The redistribution Master Depot will support the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Germany. The parts distribution operation will help improve service parts order delivery times to over 110 dealers in the surrounding regions.
“This new facility serves as tangible proof of the clear commitment that Volkswagen Group of America has to meeting the needs of our dealers and our growing customer base,” said Anu Goel, Vice President of Parts and Vehicle Logistics, Volkswagen Group of America. “Our continued investment in the U.S. market affirms that Volkswagen Group of America is dedicated to the communities in which we do business.”
Highlighting its commitment to the North American market, Volkswagen Group plans to invest more than $5 billion in North America over the next three years in new products, technologies and infrastructure aimed at helping the company reach its long-term goals for the region.
“I want to thank Volkswagen for this new facility and all that it means to Roane County and Tennessee,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. “Focusing on growth in existing companies is an important part of our strategy, and we appreciate the additional investment in our state.”
“I am proud to be here today to celebrate Volkswagen’s $40 million global distribution center in Roane County, and want to thank the auto company for investing in our community,” said Roane County Executive Ron Woody. “Our residents here are friendly, and our workforce energized and loyal. Volkswagen’s choice of Roane County was not only a good choice, but the right choice.”
A vital part of VWGoA’ s long-term growth commitment involves serving the needs of retail networks and consumers. VWGoA operates five parts warehouses in the United States, the new location is a critical addition to the network and its strategic location in the Southeast will help ensure the ability to distribute parts faster and better serve the needs of our customers.
Volkswagen’s Think Blue. environmental sustainability efforts have enabled the warehouse to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification. The building’s eco-conscious features include superior insulation, water efficient landscaping, and sourcing regional materials in construction.
The Southeast Regional Distribution Center marks Volkswagen’s fifth building in the United States to achieve LEED certification and the first among Volkswagen’s warehouses. The others include Volkswagen’s Headquarters in Herndon, Va.; the Volkswagen Chattanooga Manufacturing Factory in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Volkswagen’s Electronic Research Lab (ERL) in Belmont, Calif.; and Volkswagen’s Test Center California (TCC) in Oxnard, Calif.
As part of the grand opening celebration, Volkswagen Group of America announced a $2,500 donation to the Roane County Alliance’s Education Matters! initiative, which supports local students and promotes opportunities for post-secondary education.
Source: http://www.volkswagengroupamerica.com